


Valence

by Sinpie_Senpai



Series: Fanfics written for Fayren's OCs [2]
Category: Robots & Lace, Robots - Fandom
Genre: M/M, Mild Gore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-08 08:04:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19103062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinpie_Senpai/pseuds/Sinpie_Senpai
Summary: As his system went offline, he could see Criticality look back at him one last time before he slipped off into the shadow.Then the world faded to black.





	Valence

**Author's Note:**

> I'm supposed to be writing something else but instead I write this. You know whose fault this is.
> 
> Characters aren't mine. This is a fanfic written for [Fayren's](https://twitter.com/fayren?s=09) OCs on her blog [Robots & Lace](https://twitter.com/robots_and_lace?s=09). Can be read as a standalone.

Valence's interface flickered across his optical screen as he rebooted, but he couldn't make out anything from the garbled, broken mess of warnings. He was damaged, badly. There was no feedback from his lower half, and as he attempted to move his arms, the only action they were able to perform was twitching his fingers. His system felt heavy, sluggish, jittering with errors and sparks of current. He tried to turn his head, and a white and red and black shape came into focus.

Criticality.

"-r/it-@it#y---" He tried, but his voice box cracked and glitched, culling itself, then restarted in a futile attempt to fix itself. The noises that escaped were unintelligible. "--%i&t-"

Criticality paid him no mind. He was... occupied with something else. Valence's processors registered ghostly touches on his body, in places that weren't supposed to be accessible. Criticality must have tore his chassis open, exposing his inner components. He could only hope that the damages weren't too severe.

There was nothing else he could do but wait for someone to discover them. He wasn't sure where they were right now - Criticality had knocked him out with EMP and dragged him somewhere. It wasn't the first time it happened - violence made Criticality high. The more gruesome, savaging the mission, the more bloodthirsty and homicidal he'd become. Sometimes he would lose himself in it, and even after he returned, he still wanted more of it all - the blood and violence and destruction. Valence wasn't his first victim, he was just more fortunate than others that he was a robot and most damages he sustained could be fixed.

He hoped Ratio found them soon. She must have noticed they had went missing.

Criticality dug his hands into Valence's abdomen, and he groaned out. It was like Crit was searching for something - his fingers went through every part and wire inside of Valence, mumbling to himself too quick and too garbled to understand. Valence strained to hear it, but whenever he thought that he managed to catch something, it slipped away. It took him awhile to realize that Criticality wasn't talking in sentences - he was reading out designation numbers!

"AK-TS-OX-7996423569542," he murmured, fingers skittering across Valence's oil pump, "TP-YB-65437-SF-239", the cables connected to his hip actuators, "XC78-4579268-HL-09 BK6-TB98…."

They must be designation numbers of the bots that Criticality destroyed. The Syndicate would collect their bodies and either sold them on the black market or disassembled for parts to upgrade and repair their own bots. Valence had them inside him, too. He wasn't sure how or why Criticality remembered them, and could tell them apart.

"-ri?t-" Valence tried again. His synth still wasn't working. He didn't know how else he could make Criticality recognize him. He couldn't move at all. Criticality had finished examining his abdomen, and his hands moved up Valence's chest.

 _"What was he looking for?"_ Valence wondered.

He tore Valence's chest armour off - so easily, the metal creaking like plastic in his hands. Valence's core was exposed, a dim red pulsing quietly between them, its light illuminated Criticality's cracked faceplate - droplets of blood still dripping from it. Valence wasn't sure if they were Criticality's, or his victims'.

Gently, strangely gently, Criticality's fingers traced the metal frame of Valence's core, the initials that engraved into it, and then he murmured.

"Valence."

Valence made a weak, hopeful chirp.

"Valence." Criticality said, louder this time. He touched his own face, feeling the broken glass where Valence had punched him, then he looked up like he was hit by a sudden realization. "Valence."

Valence beeped, trying to convey his relief. Criticality looked at him, _really_ looked at him, this time. Valence wanted to reach his hand out and touch him, but he could merely twitch a finger. He felt so weak, lethargic. He needed-

Criticality didn't move him, didn't call for help, but he stayed with Valence until Ratio got there. The sight of her made him feel so, so tired all of a sudden - finally, he was safe. As his system went offline, he could see Criticality look back at him one last time before he slipped off into the shadow.

Then the world faded to black.


End file.
